Mercury to bring more jobs to Wisconsin

Published online: Aug 18, 2010News

Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle announced $5 million in performance-based incentives for Mercury Marine to bring 200 new jobs to Fond du Lac.

Mercury Marine originally planned to locate the 200 assembly jobs in Mexico, but Doyle worked closely with the company to ensure that those jobs came to Wisconsin instead, according to a statement from the governor's office.

"It is great that Mercury Marine has agreed to move these 200 jobs originally slated for Mexico to Fond du Lac," Doyle said in a statement. "The company's decision recognizes the strength of Wisconsin's work force and economy and shows that Wisconsin can compete with Mexico or any other location in the world to attract new jobs and investment."

In other Mercury news, the company said it's on track to move MerCruiser engine and drive assembly operations from Stillwater, Okla., to its headquarters in Fond du Lac in 2011. The company initially announced the move last September.

The moving of MerCruiser castings and machining operations will be concluded by early 2011, and assembly operations will be moved to Fond du Lac by the end of 2011, at which time the MerCruiser facilities will be offered for sale, the company said.

"This move will have no impact on our product quality or supply," Mercury Marine president Mark Schwabero said in a statement.

"The unique combination available in Fond du Lac of a skilled and experienced work force, world-class processes, a solid supply base and strong community support provides the best option for the remaining MerCruiser operations," he added. "This option is most consistent with Mercury's goal to emerge from this unprecedented downturn a stronger company, better able to compete in a new and very different marketplace."